Signal



Patented May 31, 1927. I i i I warren srArEs PATENT OFF CE.

SIGNAL.

Application filed July 7, 1924. Serial No. 724,618. 7 My invention relates to new and useful and operated by the emergency, brake opera improvements in signals and more particuating mechanism. 1 v larly to-a signal for giving warning to the With the above and other objects in view, 5 operator of amotor vehiclev should he enwhich will appear as the description prois deavor to operate the vehicle without re-v ceed's, my invention consists in the novel deleasing Whatis commonly known as the tails of construction, and arrangement of emergency brake. parts, described in the following specifica- The primary object of the invention retion and illustrated in the accompanying 60 sides in providing a member which is operdrawings, and while I have illustrated and able by the emergency brake operating described the preferred embodiments of the mechanism to be positioned, when the emerinvention, as they now appear to me, it will gency brake is on, to be engaged by a mem be understood that" such changes'.may be her carried by the drive shaft, when the enmade as will fall withinthe scope of the 65 gine is started, or the vehicle is put in 1110- appended claims. tion, the contact of the drive shaft member In the drawings: V v 1 with the member operable by the emergency Fig. 1 is a side elevation with parts shown brake operating mechanism, operating in section, and f x visible or audible signal to give warning to Fig. 2 is an end view with the drive shaft 7 the vehicle operator that he should release and brake operating rod shown intransthe emergency brake. V verse section, this view looking in the direc- A further object of the invention consists tron towards the "right of Fig; 1. in connecting a pivoted member or armto a It is a well known fact that operators of stationary part of the vehicle and flexibly motor vehicles, particularly new drivers, 7 connecting said member or arm to the emerwill at times endeavor to set the vehicle in 2 gency brake operating mechanism, the memmotion without releasing the emergency beer or arm, when the emergency brake 1s rebrake which has been set at the time that the leased, being positioned out' of the path of vehicle has been stopped and the only way in the member carried by the drive shaft but which the fact is drawn to the operator?s atso when the emergency brake is set or on to be 'tention is by the uneven movement of. the swung into the path of the member carried vehicle or the burning of the brake linings. by the drive shaft and adapted to be engaged This often results in considerable'expense to thereby to cause the operation, as'has been the owner in having the brakes re-lined and previously set forth, of either a visible or t is for this reason that I have provided my audible signal or both. improved form of signal whichwill give 35 Still another objectrresides in the prowarning to the operator that the emergency vision of means for normally holding the brake is on when he starts the engine, or member or arm connected. to the stationary puts the vehicle'in'motion, without releasing part of the vehicle in raised or inoperative the brakes. Mysignal may operate a light position, means also being provided to preplaced upon the 1I1S l3ltl1"[1611t b02t1(l0r operate vent rattling of said member or arm to cause a bell or other suitable signal either opernoises which would be objectionable in the a mgone or the other of these or both if so operation of a motor vehicle. desired. I I I F f th bj t I f th member In the drawings 1 indicates the front seat which is connected to the drive shaft in such O a motor hl e Wh 1 .Sh Wn as sup- 45 a manner that it may be adjusted to shafts Ported uP011 the boarda 3 lndlcates of different diameters and be securely conthe al floor board, 4: the gear sh ft lever, nected thereto against longitudinal or rotat 5 the emergency brake operating lever, 6 the able movement relative thereto, said memrod pivoted to the lower-end of the brake her being provided with a projection'which operating lever at 7, and'secured at its opis adapted to engage the operating mechaposite end to the emergency 'brakeisetting nism of the member or arm which is con- .meohanism, and 8 indicates the usual d r1ve nected to the stationary part of the vehicle shaft which as usual is rotated in the d recillustrated the operation of the tion indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Secured to the forward edge of the seat supporting member 2, by screws or other suitable fastenings, is a plate 9 having the right angle project-ion 10 which extends beneath the floor board 3 as more particularly in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Hingedly connected at 11 to the extension 10 is a plate 12 to which is secured the strip of insulating material 13, preferably of rubber or other similar material the end of which will engage the lower end of the plate 9 when the plate'12, with its associated mechanism, is swung into the position illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings to, provide a buffer and prevent rattling. Secured to this insulating strip by means of bolts or other suitable fastening are the contact plates 14 and l5,"whic-h are normally spaced apart as more particularly illiustrated in Fig. 2' of the drawings,the plate 15 carrying an inwardly extending projection 16 which is adapted to be engaged by the plate 14 when the contactplate 14 is operated in a manner to .be

later described. The contact plates 14 and 15 I are of such a length as to extend to the side of the drive shaft '8, when the plate 12 is in lowered or vertical position, as more particularly illustrated by dotted lines inFig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 2;

2 Also secured to theinsulating strip13, by bolts 17 or other suitable fastening, is a plate 18 to which is connected a bell 19. Also connected to the plate 18 is a .spring clapper arm 20 which has the point or projection 21 which is adapted to engage the bell 19- and cause the ringing thereof. This spring "clapper arm 20 is of such a. length as to be engaged by the member, to be later de scribed, which is connected to the drive shaft 8. The plat-e 12 is normally held in its raised orjinclinedposition, shown in Fig. 1, by means of the coiled spring 22, one end of which is connected at 23 to the plate 9 and the other end connected at 24 to the plate 12. ;,A flexible cable 25 is connected at 26 to thejbrake rod 6 and at 27 tothe plate 12,

this flexible connection allowing ad ustment of the brake rod or brake without affecting signal mechanism.

Secured to the drive shaft 8 is a band 29, said band having the flanges 30 through which the bolt 31 is adapted to pass and be secured in position by the nut 32. Clamped between the-flanges 30 is the inverted U- shaped member 83 which is rounded at the top as quite clearly shownin Fig. 2 and at its lower ends is provided with the outward .ly extending flanges which engage between the shaft and band 29. By having this member of inverted 'U-shape the same may be sprung sufliciently to, allow the band'29to betightly drawn around the shaft 8 and securely connect it thereto againstlongitudithe si 'nal. When the QIHGTOGIIC brake is on the lever 5 and the rod 6 are thrown into the positionindicated in dotted line in Fig.1 and through the flexible connection 25 the plate'1'2 will be lowered, with its associated parts into the position indicated in dotted lines in Figs 1 and the contact arm 14 and the spring clapper arnr20 will be within the-path of the projection 33 which is carried by thes'haft 8. Should the engine, be started,or the vehicle set in operation, without releasingthe emergency brake, of course, the shaftS will rotate and the member 33 engaging the contact arm 14 will movethe same into engagement with the projection .16 of theJarm 15 an-dthereby complete a ,circuit to operate a lightor other visible or audible signal placed on the instrument board of the vehicle or inother suitable'position to be seen or heard by the operator- A further rotation of the shaft will engage the projection 33 with the end of the spring clapper arm 20,fas shown in Fig. 2, and draw the projection 21 away from the bell 19 'and.then whenthe projection passes from engagement .with. the clapper arm'it will springbackso that the projection 21 will engage the bell and ring the same. The operator of the vehicle will then have immediate notice that the emergency brake is on and can release the same before .doing damage to'the brake'flinings. While Ihave illustrated both means for operatinga visi ble and audible signal, it will be understood that if desired only one of these might be used withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

I place particular advantage in having the hinged or pivoted member connected to a; stationary part of the vehicle and then flexibly connecting the same to the brake operating mechanism. By doing this the brake mechanism may be adjusted without in any way affecting the operation of the signal and the parts are so held that there will be no rattling to cause noises which would be objectionable. The insulating strip 13 being of rubber or similar material forms a buffer when the plate 12 is raised and held in such raised position by means of form of signal is of such a construction that it may be easily connected to the vehicle without in any way affecting the operating mechanism of the vehicle. In other Words the signal may be connected to those cars which are at present in use as well as upon new cars.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A signal of the character described for motor vehicles comprising a 'member adapted to be connected to the drive shaft of the vehicle, a member connected to the vehicle for swinging movement, an alarm carried by the swinging member means carried by the swinging member and adapted to be engaged by the member carried by the drive shaft for operating the alarm means connecting the swinging member with the emergency brake operating mechanism of the vehicle whereby when the emergency brake is on the swinging member will be so positioned that the alarm operating mechanism carried thereby will be engaged by the member connected to the drive shaft, and means for returning the swinging member to inoperative'position when the emergency brake is released.

2. A signal of the character described for motor vehicles comprising a member adapted to be connected to the drive shaft of the vehicle, a member connected to the vehicle for swinging movement an alarm means connecting the swinging member with the emergency brake operating mechanism of the vehicle for positioning said swinging member in the path of the member carried by the drive shaft when the emergency brake is on, means carried by the swinging member and adapted to be engaged by the member connected to the drive shaft for operating the alarm and means for returning the swinging member to inoperative position when the emergency brake is released.

In testimony whereof I hereunto my signature.

EDWIN C. POMEROY. 

